Narrow fabric loom



Dec. 4, 1962 o FIRING NARROW FABRIC LOOM 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 15, 1959 INVENTOR Osborne Firin BY Q K ATTO R N EY Dec. 4, 1962 o. FIRING NARROW FABRIC LOOM Filed July 13, 1959 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 @l I INVENTOR a Q Osborne F'mn H N BY \g I ATTORNE Dec. 4, 1962 Filed July 13, 1959 o. FIRING 3,066,703

NARROW FABRIC LOOM 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Osborne F'frm' ATTORNEY Dec. 4, 1962 o. FIRING 3, ,703

NARROW FABRIC LOOM Filed July 13. 1959 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Osborne F'Trin ATTO RNEY Dec. 4, 1962 o. FIRING 3,066,703

NARROW FABRIC LOOM INVENTOR Osborne Firing ATTORNEY Dec. 4, 1962 o. FIRING NARROW FABRIC LOOM '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed July 13, 1959 1 7 a H 5 u n I I A t Z um w u as H HE C u 5 nuu u and HE GHQ a U Hv U H HHU U G SW2. H (1 -75 F fi INVENTOR Osborne Firing ATTORNEY Dec. 4, 1962 o. FIRING 3,066,703

NARROW FABRIC LOOM Filed July 15, 1959 'fiSheecs-Sheec 7 H 17 B 18 fig- F A i 4-9 I I I I I I Fi 20 I; 49 F IT 22 I I I I I I I I INVENTOR Osborne F'l'rins ATTORNEY States 3,@%,7d3 Patented Dec. 4, 1962 My invention relates to narrow fabric looms of the type employing a weft laying needle for projecting the filler thread bet can the warps and a knitting needle or the like for catching the projected filler threads and forming a selvage edge along one side of the tape.

in some of its aspects, the invention is useful for the weaving of various types of narrow fabrics. it embodies novel features of construction and arrangement for parts providing for:

(l) Unusually small over-all size.

(2) Simplicity and low cost of manufacture and assembly of parts.

(3) A manner of handling the warp and filler threads to keep the amount of lint and breakage to a minimum.

(4) Arrangement of all joints and hearings in a single enclosure where they may operate in an oil bath thus eliminating the use of an oil can or the like or any danger of soiling the fabric.

(5) Quietness and increased speed of operation.

However, a still further important objective is to provide a loom capable of weaving a corded edge tape having fundamentally better characteristics for zipper fasteners than corded edge tapes heretofore produced. Other needle looms are capable of weaving in the cords by handling the cords as ordinary warps and surrounding them with the filler threads, but my improved loom utilizes special cord tie-in warps which are tightly woven with the weft close against the cords, each special warp first on one side for the desired interval, then crossing a cord and woven with the weft on that side for the desired interval and crossing back and repeating, whereby the cords are held firmly on the edge of the tape by such special warps.

In a more specific aspect, an object of the invention is to provide an improved action of the weft laying needle and novel mechanism for actuating the same so that the laying needle oscillates about an axis in the center line of the ic, while at the same time a movement is imd to the needle toward and away from the fell of r e fabric so that the laying needle is projected into the shed an arched path a short distance away from the fell of fabric and retracted in a path close to the fell of bric in approximately a straight line, thus avoiding the necessity of a separate beat-up device.

1' rrther object is to avoid interference between the 1 die and weft laying needle by utilizing the small i .l component of the oscillating movements of both needles.

My invention further provides improved means adjacent the laying needle for continuously and positively paying oil the proper amount of filler thread.

The invention further provides improved shed-forming me: auism with warp harnesses firmly supported independently of one another in cantilever fashion closely adjacent each other and also very close to the needle path and which are oper ted from the main shaft by a simple gear cam arrangement enclosed in the oil bath mentioned above.

r objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter more fully appear. In the accompanying drawings, l have shown for purpose of illustration, one embodiment which the invention may assume in practice. In these drawings:

i is a plan view of my improved loom; EEG. PEG. 6;

is a central vertical section on line 22 of FIG. 3 is a partial vertical section one line 22 of FIG. 6 looking from the back toward the front;

HQ. 4 is a vertical cross'section on line 44 of FIG. 6;

FlG. 5 is a vertical cross-section on line 5-5 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 6 is a horizontal section on line 66 of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are detailed views showing two positions of the wobble plate device for oscillating the weft laying FIG. 9 is a partial plan view on an enlarged scale and indicating the path of the weft laying needle;

FIGS. 10 to 14 are schematic views showing different positions of the devices which handle the special warps for tieing in the cords;

FIG. 15 is a detail in perspective of the laying needle;

FIG. 16 is a detail of the cord guide;

FIG. 17 indicates diagrammatically the position of the knitting needle when projected through the loop of the weft thread to its fullest extent;

PEG. 18 is a section illustrating the relative position of the laying and knitting needles in this fully projected position;

PEG. 19 is a diagram showing to an exaggerated degree the vertical angular position of the laying needle and knitting needle at this fully projected position;

FIGS. 20, 21 and 22 are similar to FIGS. 17, 18 and 19 showing the parts in an intermediate position; and,

FIGS. 23, 24 and 25 are corresponding views showing the positions of the needles when the knitting needle has caught the loop of weft thread.

The working parts of the loom are supported by a box like casting or frame which is open at the bottom and which has a fiat top wall 1, sidewalls 2 and 3 and front and back walls 4 and :3 respectively. lournaled in suitable bearings in the sidewalls 2 and 3 is the main drive shaft '6 which is power-driven through the pulley 7.

For operating part of the warp harnesses, there is a shaft 8 journaled in bearings attached to the sidewalls 2 and 3 which is driven by the gear 9 on the main shaft 6 meshing with the gear lti keyed to the shaft 8 as best seen in PEG. 6. The ratio of this gearing is 1 to 2 so that the shaft 8 turns at half the speed on the main shaft.

On the opposite side, there is a second harness-operating shaft 11, also supported in bearings carried by the sidewalls Z and 3 and driven by gear 12 on the main shaft and gear 13 on the shaft 11. The ratio of the gearing in this case is 1 to 4 so that shaft 11 will turn at only one-quarter of the speed of the main shaft.

Weft Laying Needle Action The weft laying needle 14 is attached to an arm 15 which curves downwardly and towards the center line of the loom where it is connected to a vertical shaft 16. This shaft (see FIG. 2) is journaled in suitable bearings 17 which are fixed in a hub 18 that is part of a lever 19. As best seen in FIG. 6, this lever is yoke-shaped on the fulcrum end, having one arm 20 pivoted on a pin 21 projecting from the front wall 4 and the other arm 22 pivoted on a pin 23 projecting from the back wall 5 of the frame.

The needle-carrying shaft 16 derives an oscillating motion about its own axis through a suitable mechanical movement from the main shaft 6 so that there is one complete oscillation to project the needle into and retract it from the shed during each revolution of the main shaft. This mechanical movement may take the form of a wobble plate mechanism which utilizes a cylindrical actuator 24 keyed to the main shaft with the geometrical axis of the cylindrical actuator at a substantial angle to the shaft. Surrounding this actuator is a box-like follower 25 which has vertical side plates 26 and 27 fastened at one end of the needle-carrying shaft 16 and at the other acne/res :7 end, to a suitable spacer block. The spacing of the plates 26 and 27 corresponds to the diameter of the actuator 24 so that as the shaft rotates (for example: from the position shown in FIG. 7 to the position shown in FIG. 8), the needle-carrying shaft 16 will turn through an angle proportionate to the angle between the axis of the actuator and the main shaft.

Simultaneously with the oscillating movement of the weft laying needle, a to-and-fro movement is imparted to the needle by another mechanical movement between the lever 19 and the main shaft 6. This may be accomplished by a suitable eccentric 28 on the main shaft connected to a spherical bearing 29 which is carried by the projection 30 on the lever 19. The connection of the eccentric to the main shaft may also be by a spherical bearing to permit the slight rocking motion of the eccentric. Thus as the main shaft turns, the lever 19 will be rocked about the pins 21 and 23 to give the needle a slight in-and-out movement. It will be noted that the pivot axis of the lever 19 during this rocking motion is directly below the line of the weaving or the fell of the fabric so that even though the rocking motion of the lever moves the needle through a slight arc, the vertical component of the motion is so slight as to be of no consequence.

Knitting Needle Action The knitting needle 31 as seen in plan view in F165. 1 and 9, is attached to the end of lever 32 which projects through a small slot 32a in the top wall of the frame.

As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the lever 32 is pivoted at 33 on a suitable boss of the frame casting and derives a small oscillating movement about the pivot 33 from the cam 34 on the main shaft engaging roller followers 35 on the bottom end of the lever 32. This mechanism is, of course, designed to move the knitting needle at the proper time to pick up the loop of the projected double weft thread and knit it into the loop of the preceding double weft, in a manner well understood in the art.

Power Feeds for Filling Thread and Finished Tape The filler thread F comes from a spool or other suitable source, passes around the feed roller 35 against which the thread is held by an idler roll 37 which may be supported on an arm 3f) pivoted on a stud 3% and held in place by the flexible end of a lever 4 which may be caught behind the stop pin 41 (see PEG. 1). The feed roller 36 is continuously and positively driven as seen in FIG. by the helical gearing 42 and 43 from the harnessoperating shaft 8 through the vertical shaft 44 which has bearings in lug 45 cast integral with the frame and in the top wall of the frame.

From the feed rolls, the filler thread passes through an eye 46 of a light coil spring 47 (FIG. 9) and through the eyes 48 and 49 of the weft laying needle 14, which are connected by a thread track or groove 5% in the needle.

The means for positively feeding the finished tape from the machine and which may be called the take-up device, is power-driven from the slower running harness-operating shaft 11 through a worm 51 on the shaft ll, worm gear 52 and vertical shaft 53 journaled in lug 54 and in the top wall of the frame.

Mounted on the upper end of the vertical shaft 53 is the driven knurled take-up roller 55 against which the tape is held by an idler roll 56 mounted in a suitable way so that it may be swung away from the take up roller 55 to insert or remove the tape (see FIG. 1). As the tape T emerges from the loom, it passes over the block or breatbeam 100' carrying guide flanges Hit and under a horizontal bar 57 from which it twists into a vertical plane and goes around idler roll 58 on its way to the take-up roller 55.

Warp Handling Considering first the harnesses which are operated by the slower running shaft 11, the desired number of jacks 4 59 (herein four such jacks) are in the form of vertical rods slidable through suitable hearings in the top wall of the frame and carrying at their upper ends, U-shaped heddle frames 6%} between which the desired number of heddles are supported; one such heddle being indicated at 61 in FIG. 4.

Each of the rods or jacks 59 is attached at its lower end to a rectangularly shaped slide 62, one of the slides 62 appearing in full and another 6211 in part. Each slide operates in a fixed groove 63 in the sidewall and a fixed groove 64 formed on a block 65 cast integrally with the frame. Each of the slides is operated in the desired timed sequence by suitable cams, one of which es appears in full and another 66a. in part. Each cam operates betwee and bears at all times against wear plates 67 so that the harnesses are driven both upwardly and downwardly in a positive manner from the shaft 11. The cams are designed so as to provide a substantial dwell at each extrerne position of the shed. Each of the slides has its own operating cam so that various types of weaves may be produced by arranging the cams to operate the har nesses as desired.

0n the other side, there are four similar jacks 58 operated in a similar manner by slides 69 and earns "ill from the shaft 8 except, of course, that the up-and-down movement is twice as frequent as in the case of the first four jacks; thus the jacks of will move up for each complete cycle of the weft laying needle and down for each next succeeding cycle. It should be noted that the heddle frames are rigidly held in cantilever fashion, each by a sin le jack and the frames on one side extend between those on the other. Thus the frames may be spaced only half the distance apart as in other looms, resulting in a more compact arrangement, and one which lends itself better to high speed operation. Two of these jacks 68 closest to the weft laying needle carry frames 71 similar to the frames as and may support the desired number of heddles to provide the desired effect in the weave, but the other two of the jacks carry the special warps which are used for tieing in the cords C.

To the upper end of these latter jacks are attached angularly-shaped arms 7'2 and 73, the first of which carries a downwardly projecting short needle-like heddle 74 for one of the special warps and the other carries an upwardly projecting similar needle-like heddle 75.

Each of the jacks as for operating these special warps carries adjacent its lower end, an inwardly projecting arm, the front one of which as seen in PEG. 4, is numbered 76 while the other is numbered 77. The arm '76 has an upwardly projecting pin 78 and the arm 77 has a similar downwardly projecting pin 79. These pins are in an engagement with opposite side faces of gear 89 which carries cam projections 81 and 82 on its opposite sides of the gear (see also PEG. 2) and the pins f3 and 79 are of such length that they will be in the path of such cams whatever the vertical position of the jacks may be. These pins also slide between the arms of a U-shaped spring 33 which tends to hold them against the face of the gear 8t? and this spring can be supported in any suitable manner such as by a block 34 fixed to the underside of the top wall 1.

The cam-carrying gear 8% is mounted so as to be freely rotatable on the main shaft 6 in any suitable way such as between a spacing sleeve 85 and a collar 86. This gear 80 is driven from the slower running harnessoperating shaft 11 by means of a gear 87 keyed to shaft 11. In the embodiment shown, the ratio of the gears 87 and 80 is l to 2 so that the cam-carrying gear $0 will make one revolution for every 8 revolutions of the main shaft 6. If desired, an optional gear may be provided on the faster running harness shaft 8 so that if desired, the cam gear can be driven faster, for example, one revolution for every four revolutions of the main shaft.

The cam projections 81 and 82 extend approximately half way around the gear 8%. As seen in FIG. 1, the

aoeeyroa pins 78 and 79 are riding on the face of the gear 80 when the upper short heddle 74 is located inwardly of the lower heddle 75. When the pins 78 and 79 are pushed outwardly by the cams 81 and 82, the arms 72 and 73 will swing so as to reverse the positions of the upper and lower heddles 74 and '75.

T he action of these arms and heddles which carry the special tie-in warps will be understood from an examination of FIGS. through 14. FIG. 10 shows the position where the upper arm and heddle have about completed the interval of interweaving the special warps with the filler thread F and where the pins 78 and 79 are about to ride off the cams on to the face of the gear 80. When this happens, the heddles will have cleared the cords C1 and C2 and will switch positions to opposite sides of the cords, and FIG. 11 shows the beginning of the normal weaving of the special warps SW4 and SW-Z after they have crossed the cords. FIGS. 12 and 13 show further positions of the heddles 74 and 75 at diiferent positions of the regular warp threads W. It will be understood that during the interweaving of the special warps with the body of the tape, the special warps will cross the fillers at each charge of the shed so as to produce a tight weave close up to the cords and give a firm anchorage to the cords. With the arrangement illustrated, the special warps are made to cross over at every fourth double pick or at every fourth charge of the shed, but with the optional gear above-mentioned, they could be made to cross over every second double pick or every second charge of the shed. FIG. 14 shows the position where the heddles 74 and 75 have switched back to their original position carrying the special warps across the cords.

It will be understood that cords C-1 and C-2 are lead in through suitable guides and under substantial tension. One or more cord guides may be provided such as the bracket 83 with guide opening 89 secured to the top plate of the machine (see PIG. 16).

Due to the two mechanical movements which have been described for operating the weft laying needle, the forward eye 49 will traverse a path as indicated by the line P. As seen in FIG. 9, the action of the leverrocking mechanism has moved the needle in a direction away from the fell of the fabric where it may be projected on its inward oscillating movement through the shed at a suflicient distance from the fell of the fabric to avoid interference with the warps or with the cords C1 and (3-2. Then, after it has completed its path through the shed, the action of the rocking lever tends to pull the needle close in to the fell of the fabric and during its retraction, the inner edge of the needle will bear close against the filler threads and to all intents and purposes serve to pack or beat up the filler threads to a sufiicient de ree without the need of a separate beat-up device.

The detail of the weft laying needle as shown in FIG. shows it to be a generally flat blade-like piece of metal which is preferably somewhat wider near the end where it is attached to the arm 15. On the underside adjacent to forward eye 49 of the needle is a recess 90 into which the knitting needle 31 moves to pick up the projected loop of filler thread and knit it into the preceding loop. The relative positions of the knitting needle and laying needle when the knitting needle is projected through the loop of weft thread and while moving to catch such loop are shown in FIGS. 17 through 25.

In the first position, the knitting needle is projected well through the loop of the weft While being held by the laying needle and in so doing, it enters the recess 9ft on the underside of the needle. At this point, the weft needle carrying shaft 16 will be in approximately its farthermost counter-clockwise position as indicated by line L1 in FIG. 19 so that any movement from this position will have a vertical component tending to elevate the laying needle. At the same time, the angular 6 position of the knitting needle indicated by the line K-ll in FIG. 19 is ready to swing clockwise from the vertical position so that the vertical component of the motion will tend to lower the knitting needle.

In FIGS. 20 and 21 can be seen an intermediate position where the knitting needle has moved partially out of the recess 90, and the approximate angular positions of the laying and knitting needles are indicated at L-Z and K-2 in FIG. 22. In FIGS. 23, 24 and 25 it is clear that the movement has carried to the point where the knitting needle is controlling the loop of the weft thread ready to knit it into the next preceding loop with the angular positions of the needles indicated at L-3 and K-3. Here it is seen that the knitting needle is clearing the laying needle without any interference or rubbing action of one needle on the other. This results in smoother operation and longer life, especially of the knitting needle. At the same time, this relative vertical movement of the needles is accomplished in a rhythmic manner without the necessity of additional mechanism for that particular purpose since it is an automatic result of the normal actions of the laying needle and the toand-fro movement of the knitting needle.

As above mentioned, all the gears, cams, bearings etc. as a result of the novel character and arrangement of the mechanisms are grouped together in a compact manner within the frame-like housing. This housing as seen in FIG. 2 can be set into a hollow container 91 which may be filled with oil up to approximately the level of the main shaft. Thus everything requiring lubrication is lubricated automatically without the necessity of any oil being accessible to the top of the machine.

The warp harness jacks slide through bearings in the top plate, and the small slots in the top plate through which the knitting needle lever and weft laying needle shaft operate may be covered by light metal pads sliding on top of the frame wall 1.

Various modifications and changes from the specific embodiment which has been shown and described will readily occur to those skilled in the art; for example, a weft laying needle may be employed on each side of the tape along with two knitting needles forming a knitted selvage on both sides.

What I claim:

1. In a loom of the class described, means for forming and changing the shed between warp threads, a weft laying needle, means for imparting to said needle an har-' monic oscillating movement about a vertical axis in a direction to project the same through and retract it from the shed, and means for simultaneously imparting to said needle 21 second harmonic oscillating movement about a horizontal axis in a direction toward and away from the fell of the fabric, whereby the needle is substantially closer to the fell of the fabric when it is being retracted from the shed than when it is being projected through the shed. 2. In a loom of the class described, the combination defined in claim 1 wherein the axis of the first oscillating movement is located substantially centrally of the shed and fabric, and wherein the axis of the second oscillating movement is parallel to and vertically below the fell of the fabric.

3. In a loom of the class described, means for forming a shed, a weft laying needle, means for mounting said needle to oscillate about a vertical axis passing through a central part of the shed, a horizontally extending drive shaft mounted below said shed, a mechanical movement between said shaft and mounting means whereby said mounting means derives a complete oscillating movement about said axis from each revolution of the drive shaft of such amplitude to move the needle across and return it from the shed and means for simultaneously imparting to said needle mounting means a to-and-fro movement with respect to the fell of the fabric, of the same frequency as said oscillating movement whereby the needle sesame '7 is projected into the shed in a curved path a substantial distance from the fell of the fabric and is retracted from the shed in a path close to the fell of the fabric.

4. In a loom of the class described, means for forming and changing the shed between warp threads, a Weft laying needle, mounting means for said needle including a lever pivotally mounted on an axis parallel to and substantially directly vertically below the fell of the fabric and a vertical needle-carrying shaft carried by said lever; a main drive shaft directly below and parallel to the center line of the shed, a mechanical movement connecting said drive shaft and said needle-carrying shaft for imparting an oscillating movement to the needle to project the needle through and retract it from the shed during each revolution of the drive shaft and a connection between said drive shaft and said lever for oscillating the lever to impart to the needle a to-and-fro movement with respect to the fell of the fabric during its oscillating movement into and out of the shed.

5. In a loom of the class described, the combination defined in claim 4 wherein said mechanical movement connecting said drive shaft and needle-carrying shaft is a wobble plate mechanism having a cylindrical actuator fixed to the shaft with the geometrical axis of the actuator at a substantial angle to the shaft, and a box-like follower around the actuator and connected to the needlecarrying shaft, said follower having vertical side plates contacting the cylindrical actuator on opposite sides.

6. in a loom of the class described, means for forming and changing the shed between warp threads, a weft laying needle, means for imparting to said needle an oscillating movement in a direction to project the same through and retract it from the shed, means for simultaneously imparting to said needle a second oscillating movement about a horizontal axis in a direction toward and away from the fell of the fabric, whereby the needle is substantially closer to the fell of the fabric when it is being retracted from the shed than when it is being projected through the shed, a knitting needle and operating means therefor to move the knitting needle in a to-andfro path along one edge of the shed to catch loops of weft threads projected by said laying needle and knit them into a selvage edge, said laying needle having a recess into which said knitting needle enters as it is projected through a loop, said second oscillating movement of the laying needle being timed in such a way that the 'vertical component of the same is in a direction away from the knitting needle as the knitting needle withdraws from said recess in catching a loop of weft thread.

7. In a loom of the class described, the combination defined in claim 6 wherein the knitting needle has an oscillating motion on a horizontal axis being timed so that it has a vertical component opposite that of the knitting needle so as further to assist in moving the knitting needle away from the laying needle as it withdraws in catching a loop of weft thread.

8. In combination with a narrow fabric loom of the type employin. means for forming and changing a shed and a. Weft laying needle, means for weaving in cords on opposite sides of and along one edge of a tape which comprises means for guiding said cords to opposite sides of the needle path adjacent one side of the shed, a first needle-like heddle mounted on one side of the shed and carrying a special warp for weaving in one cord, n sec- 0nd needle-like heddle mounted on the opposite side of the shed and carrying a special warp for weaving in the other cord, means for operating said heddles with the changes of shed to interweave the special warps with the weft, and means for laterally shifting said heddles at intervals from one side to the other of the cords to form cord tie-in loops.

9. The combination defined in claim 6 wherein the two heddles during weaving are always on opposite sides of the cords and are simultaneously switched over the cords at intervals between successive series of changes of the shed.

10. In a narrow fabric loom adapted to weave into a tape two cords on opposite sides of and along one edge of the tape, means for moving ordinary warp threads for forming and changing a shed, a weft laying needle and operating means therefor adapted to project into the shed a double pick at each change of the shed, means for catching the projected picks and forming a selvage edge, means for guiding a pair of cords above and below the tape near that edge opposite the selvage edge; and means for handling special warp threads for tieing in the cords which includes a pair of vertically extending jacks, an arm extending at an angl from each jack, one above and the other below the shed, a needle-like heddle at the end of each arm, one projecting downwardly from the upper arm and the other projecting upwardly from the lower arm, means for operating said jacks upwardly and downwardly to interweave said special warps with the picks on opposite sides of the cords, and means for intermittently turning said jacks through a small angle about a vertical axis and in opposite directions to move the needle-like heddles across the cords at intervals to form cord tie-in loops.

11. In a loom of the class described, the combination defined in claim 10 wherein the jack operating means comprises a drive shaft, cam shafts geared to the main shaft, one directly under each set of jacks and carrying a cam for each jack, a cam follower attached to each jack and bearing on both the bottom and top of its cam, whereby the jacks are positively actuated in both directions.

12. in a loom of the class described, means for forming a shed between the warp threads, at welf laying needle mounted for movement into and out of the shed, the needle having an eye near its free end through which the weft thread passes and means for supplying the weft threads from a stationary source including continuously driven feed rolls mounted adjacent the needle on one side of the shed and a slack take-up device on the opposite side of the shed and through which the weft thread passes on its way from the feed rolls to the eye of the needle.

References ited the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,095,480 Schlegel Oct. 12, 1937 2,497,077 Firing et a1. Feb. 14, 1950 2,552,418 Firing et al. May 8, 1951 2,625,959 Turner Jan. 20, 1953 2,902,357 Turner Sept. 1, 1959 2,907,352 Kronotf Oct. 6, 1959 

